Welcome to Waterford Educate together National School (WETNS)! Here’s what a typical school day looks like, from the moment your child arrives to when they head home — plus all the little things that help the day run smoothly.

🕣 Morning Routine

  • Supervision begins at 8:40am — this is the earliest time children should be dropped off.
  • School starts at 8:50am sharp. Children are expected to be ready and in class by this time.
  • Drop-off procedure:
    • All children enter through the front door.
    • Junior & Senior Infants go straight to their classrooms.
    • 1st–6th Class pupils head to their designated yard areas (fully supervised).
    • No access through rear gates in the morning.
  • Please walk, cycle, or scoot if you can. There’s bike and scooter parking available.
  • Remember: no parent parking in the school car park and don’t park on zigzags or paths.

📚 Learning & Fun Throughout the Day

  • Hub Classes begin at 9:00am.
  • WETNS follows a Restorative Practice approach, guided by our values:
    • Be Kind
    • Be Safe
    • Be Honest
    • Be Ready to Learn
  • Children wear their own clothes — comfortable and practical for active learning. On PE days, tracksuits and runners are a must.
  • All schoolbooks and copies are provided under the Free Schoolbooks Scheme. Parents only need to supply stationery (lists are on our website).

🍎 Lunch & Meals

  • We encourage Healthy Lunches — no nuts or nut products.
  • Each child should bring a snack for first break and a drink.
  • Hot school meals are provided daily through the Carambola app:
    • Meals are reheated on site.
    • Don’t forget to update preferences or the default meal will be given.
    • Questions? Contact Carambola directly.

🏥 Health & Wellbeing

  • If your child is sick, please keep them at home.
  • For vomiting or diarrhoea, wait 48 hours after the last episode before returning.
  • Use Aladdin Connect to record absences.
  • For Child Protection, the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is Patrick Pender, and Deputy DLP is Dearbhaill Ivin.

💬 Communication with the School

  • We use Aladdin Connect for:
    • Updates and alerts
    • Messaging teachers
    • Payments (we are a cash-free school!)
    • Booking meetings
  • Contact details:

🏁 Home Time

  • Junior & Senior Infants: finish at 1:30pm.
  • 1st to 6th Class: finish at 2:30pm.
  • Collection points:
    • Junior–3rd Class: front entrance
    • 4th–6th Class: rear gate (metal gate)
    • Hub students: collected at the Hub gate
  • Tips:
    • Collect younger siblings first.
    • Junior Infants–1st Class are handed directly to a known adult.
    • 2nd–6th Class walk out to meet their grown-up or begin their journey home.

💡 Extra Tips for New Parents (Especially Junior Infants)

  • Pack bags the night before.
  • Practice putting on coats and shoes.
  • Build independence and confidence with small tasks.
  • Talk about school in a positive way!
  • Make sure your child knows who is collecting them and from where.

🤝 Get Involved!

Our Parent Association is active and welcoming. If you’d like to support school events or meet other families, this is a great place to start!

If you ever need help or have a question, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Full details and updates are available at wetns.ie or through Aladdin Connect.